Dick Miller – People Talking

Classic Movie Review – ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll High School’ – All Hopped Up and Ready to Go

Directed by Allan Arkush
Written by Richard Whitley & Russ Dvonch and Joseph McBride (screenplay), Joe Dante & Allan Arkush (story)
Cast: P. J. Soles, Vince Van Patten, Clint Howard, Dey Young, Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Dick Miller, Don Steele, The Ramones

I have to admit, I am very inclined to like this film, because it’s directed by, not just New Jersey’s own, but a fellow Bergen County kid, Allan Arkush.

Arkush went to Fort Lee High School in the 1960s, and used to daydream that The Beatles or The Rolling Stones would show up one day and play for the students in the school’s courtyard.

Fast forward a decade or so, and he slowly but surely convinced Roger Corman to morph one of his usual exploitation scripts (reportedly titled Girls’ Gym; I can’t possibly imagine what that would have been about) into a PG-rated rock and roll musical.

Add a healthy dash of Punk, and you’ve got Rock ‘n’ Roll High School.

Now, look, I don’t think the movie is great, and I’m not sure it even really qualifies as a cultural touchstone, but what it is is a whole lot of fun, so if you can vibe with it on that level, you’ll enjoy it just fine. Some of the humor is dated, to be sure, but I think Arkush has a fairly unique sense of comedy. I’d compare it to UHF, but whereas that movie really only gets surreal during the fantasy sequences, Arkush is unafraid to push farcical elements into the world of his movie (this equally applies to his Get Crazy, which is sadly near-impossible to find on home format).

On a slightly more serious note, the centerpiece of the film is a Ramones concert at the Roxy, where we get about ten minutes (so, you know, five songs) of “live” musical performance (in contrast to the more fantastical music segments), and that is great. I’m not sure if the audio was recorded live or not, but at the very least they’re not just syncing to the original recordings of the songs.

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t even mention the star of the movie, P.J. Soles as Riff Randell. She’s spunky, she’s funky, she’s coolly rebellious; everything you need in a protagonist for this movie (although, to be honest, I found myself gazing more at her friend Kate, played by Dey Young). And, naturally, as this is a Roger Corman production, Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov are there in wonderful supporting roles (as well as a cameo from Dick Miller).

All-in-all, as I said, it’s fun, and that’s all it really needs to be.

Rating: ★★★½ (out of five)

P.S.
Even though I got stuck in traffic and wasn’t a particular happy camper by the time I got there, I was so glad I made the trip to the Mahoning Drive-In to see this, as we were treated to a brief in-character bit from Clint Howard, and a beefy introduction from Allan Arkush himself. It was a lovely experience that I’m sure I’ll think of now whenever I’m reminded of the movie.

Classic Movie Quinella – ‘RussellMania’: The Kurt Russell Marathon – Land of the Free

Another Super Bowl Saturday, another actor marathon at Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers: Caged, Stallone Zone, Van Dammage, Burt Day, ‘HEY, ARNOLD!‘, and now, RussellMania 2018.

I had sky high hopes for this one, but for the first time in attending these events, I actually left fairly disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I love Kurt Russell, I love my new hat, and I got to see four movies I had never seen before (which I do place a certain value on), but overall it just wasn’t quite the same enjoyable ride I’ve become accustomed to over the past five years.

The man himself needs no introduction though, so let’s get into these movies.

Movie #1: Tango & Cash (1989)

Right off the bat, I was wrong.

Seeing as how this film lead off Stallone Zone (click the link to read the Tango & Cash review), I figured there was no way we’d see it again here, but, as I said, I was wrong.

I will say, it was interesting watching it again as a Kurt Russell movie rather than a Stallone movie, but I don’t really have anything more to say now than I did in 2014.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Movie #2: Breakdown (1997)

I remember my cousin putting this on once at my aunt and uncle’s house, probably around the time it first hit DVD (which was technology beyond my imagination at the time), only I don’t think I watched past the first half hour or so, so I never realized until seeing it on the big screen that Breakdown turns into an action movie by the end (spoilers?).

Before that though, the movie feels extremely Hitchcockian, so much so that you could believe it’s a remake of something Hitch actually made (though to my knowledge it is not and I’ll happily give full credit to writer/director Jonathan Mostow). The story’s simple enough (I’d actually make a gentle comparison to The Belko Experiment, just in terms of imagining yourself in the same situation), and it doesn’t fall into the trap of becoming too twisty, which I appreciated.

Ultimately, it comes down to personal taste as to whether or not the third act works for you. I’m okay with it, but I understand others feeling somewhat betrayed by it.

Either way though, I’d still say it’s solid.

Rating: ★★★½

Movie #3: Used Cars (1980)

Before Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale made one of the greatest movies of all time (review here), they had a string of less successful endeavors (I Wanna Hold Your Hand, 1941), culminating with 1980’s Used Cars (although they did write one of my favorite episodes of Kolchak: The Night Stalker).

Used Cars isn’t great, and its definitely a touch bloated, but it’s not without its charms. For one thing, it’s Kurt’s first R-rated performance, which is interesting to see at odds with his still-lingering Disney good guy persona, and it’s got Jack Warden doing some classic one-actor-playing-twin-brothers schtick, and a good amount of the satirical humor still holds up today.

It also hearkens back to a time when comedy wasn’t strictly a bargain basement genre and studios weren’t afraid to throw in a little more production value when necessary, even for an non-family friendly comedy.

Not everybody will fully enjoy Used Cars because it’s such a product of its time, but for me, that’s why I found it interesting and why I’d give it another watch someday.

Rating: ★★★½

Movie #4: Executive Decision (1996)

Speaking of the kinds of movies that don’t get made anymore, let’s talk Executive Decision (which is one I was hoping for, for better or worse).

Stuff like this just has a certain je ne sais quoi that feels missing from Hollywood of the present (the fact that it was made pre-9/11 definitely has something to do with that). It’s not like we have a dearth of action movies these days, but Executive Decision takes itself seriously in both story and tone where a movie today would have a wink and a nod (it’s no surprise that the last similar example I can think of, Behind Enemy Lines, was also a story by Jim and John Thomas).

I think it’s fair to say that Kurt plays against type here, at least relative to the “action man” roles he was known for at the time, but, even in a lame tuxedo and nerdy spectacles, he’s still cooler than we could ever dream of being.

“All-star cast” may be a stretch (it’s no Airport ’77), but, at the time, Executive Decision certainly had a mix of experienced pros and hot up-and-comers (most notably Halle Berry). Given that it’s a 90s action movie, I’ll say everyone does a fine job.

That said, let’s call it what it is, “Die Hard on a plane.”

Still worth a watch though, just get comfortable.

Rating: ★★★½

Movie #5: Escape from L.A. (1996)

This is not how I wanted the day to end.

I don’t want to merely compare this movie to Escape from New York, but I don’t think it leaves you with much of a choice.

Honestly, Escape from L.A. is depressingly bad in comparison to its predecessor. New York was a low-budget underdog that managed to find an audience and punch a bit above its weight class. It stands on its reputation more so than its actual quality, but at the same time it was a fairly progressive movie in terms of film-making, what with the use of the Panaglide (an early “cousin” of the Steadicam) and new techniques that allowed Dean Cundey to shoot many city blocks deep using only streetlamps for lighting; not to mention how the film allowed Kurt Russell to truly pivot away from his Disney comedy roots.

On the other hand, L.A. is essentially The Asylum version of New York, with a copy-and-paste script, horrendous CGI effects, and terribly cheesy performances. In fact, the only element you can point to as being better than the original is the fact that they shot a scene at the real L.A. Coliseum, but the movie is still so terrible that it doesn’t even matter.

Escape from L.A. is awful, it was rightfully a box office bomb, and if you truly love Escape from New York, you should never ever watch it.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

So, there you have it. Not the best day, but definitely not all bad. Just kind of middling, and therefore not what I expected given Kurt’s body of work.

I guess they can’t all be winners.

This hat though, this hat is a winner.

Batman Triple Pack: ‘The Killing Joke’ – ‘Mask of the Phantasm’ – ‘Suicide Squad’

BATMAN character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, but you probably already knew that.

Directed by Sam Liu
Written by Brian Azzarello, based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore & Brian Bolland
Cast: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Tara Strong, Ray Wise, John DiMaggio, Robin Atkin Downes, Brian George, Nolan North, Maury Sterling, Fred Tatasciore
Soundtrack: Kristopher Carter. Michael McCuistion, Lolita Ritmanis

If you haven’t noticed, for nearly a decade now, DC Animation has been producing some pretty solid work in the form of ~75 minute adaptations of influential story arcs, miniseries, and one-shots. If you’re a Batman fan, I highly recommend Under the Red Hood, Year One, and the epic-length The Dark Knight Returns.

Unfortunately, I can’t recommend their latest adaptation, The Killing Joke. I give the movie two out of five stars, one each for Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill (the definitive voices of Batman and Joker, respectively), because without them there’s very little to grab onto here. Hamill’s performance in particular is quite fantastic; it’s a shame that it’s in service of so little.

I’ve never actually read the source graphic novel, but, based on its influence (and infamy), I have a hard time believing the filmmakers captured the spirit of it.

The movie begins with an addendum of a first act in order to pad out the run time, because apparently the source material wasn’t enough to produce a feature length result. Batman and Batgirl are called on to stop a robbery, and, though they get the bank truck back, a couple of bad guys get away. Particularly unfortunate for Batgirl is the fact that one of the escapees has a thing for her, which he uses to get inside her head, thus prompting Batman to force her off the case, which infuriates her to the point that she physically confronts him with some hand-to hand-combat, until [SPOILER ALERT] she lands on top of him and Batgirl and Batman do the no-pants Batusi. Controversial to say the least, although compared to the rest of the movie, it didn’t really bother me.

After the resolution of the initial story, the rest of the movie plays out more or less the same as the graphic novel.

I don’t know what happened behind the scenes, but I suspect the filmmakers didn’t really know how to handle such material as adult and as shocking as The Killing Joke. The movie is rated-R, as it technically should be, but they don’t come close to making the most of it from a thematic perspective. As much as the source material is for mature audiences only, the movie feels like it’s trying to cater to a younger audience, but worse than that, it feels like it was made by a younger audience. Compared to most other Batman adaptations, it feels like there’s an intelligence and a maturity towards the material that is missing.

I also disagree with the decision to add another story to pad out the length, because those extra minutes could’ve been used to explore The Killing Joke more, or at least linger a bit longer on certain aspects. Maybe I’m asking for blood from a stone here, but it felt like so many moments came and went abruptly and without care.

Perhaps the best and most succinct way I can sum up this Killing Joke movie is that it just falls flat. As much as the story is meant to toy with your emotions, it didn’t end up leading me much of anywhere, and, as such, it’s not worth your time or money, which is disappointing to say, but true nonetheless.

I’m so sorry.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆
(★★½ if you’re really into Batman/comics)

Original Release Date: December 25, 1993
Directed by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm
Written by Alan Burnett (story and screenplay) & Paul Dini (screenplay) & Martin Pasko (screenplay) & Michael Reaves (screenplay)
Cast: Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, Stacy Keach, Abe Vigoda, Dick Miller, John P. Ryan, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings, Robert Costanzo, Mark Hamill, Arleen Sorkin
Soundtrack: Shirley Walker

Now THIS was a treat. Apparently, there are only two known 35mm prints of Mask of the Phantasm left in existence, so to be able to see it as it was originally shown was something special.

By the time Mask of the Phantasm originally hit theaters, Tim Burton’s two Batman movies had come and gone, and The Animated Series had aired 65 episodes, so it’s easy to see how Christmas of ’93 could represent the high water mark for those Batman fans old enough to appreciate it at the time.

In fact, there’s a strong argument to be made that Mask of the Phantasm is the best Batman movie of all time. I wouldn’t go that far (although I’m fine with saying it’s definitively the best of its era), but from a screenplay perspective it might be the best Batman script ever produced.

For one thing, the movie gets a lot of Batman aspects right that other adaptations often struggle with. namely, Bruce Wayne the playboy (aka, his real mask). It only comes up in one brief scene, but it’s enough to let us know how the world at large views Bruce Wayne: he likes to party. At the same time, however, we get a romantic sub-plot that actually feels real (especially compared to the live-action films of the 80s and 90s) and that highlights the sacrifices he has to make in his personal life in order to continue to be Batman.

Mask of the Phantasm also addresses how and why Bruce Wayne became Batman (definitely some Year One influence), without taking us down “Crime Alley” once again to see Thomas and Martha Wayne get gunned-down (because God knows we’ve seen that more than enough in subsequent years), so that’s a plus.

Really though, like The Killing Joke, and in spite of all of the Hollywood names they wrangled to do voices, the stars of the show are Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, except here, as I said, they’re given a great screenplay to work from. This is not to say that anyone in the cast is lackluster, because everyone in Mask of the Phantasm does good work (Arleen Sorkin and Dana Delany later went on to voice Harley Quinn and Lois Lane, respectively), but, frankly, Mark Hamill steals the show, despite not entering the picture until the third act.

If you’ve ever wondered why so many fans refer to Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as the ultimate Batman and Joker, I’d offer Mask of the Phantasm as Exhibit A. I think my only real complaint is that the movie isn’t longer.

Definitely check it out if you haven’t yet done so.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Written and Directed by David Ayer, based on the comic book by John Ostrander
Cast: Will Smith, Ike Barinholtz, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, David Harbour, Robin Atkin Downes, Jared Leto, Jim Parrack, Common, Jai Courtney, Ezra Miller, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnaman, Alain Chanoine, Scott Eastwood, Adam Beach, Karen Fukuhara, Kenneth Choi, Ben Affleck
Soundtrack: Steven Price

I don’t know what it is about 2016, but there have been a number of films with uninspiring trailers this year, Suicide Squad among them.

Quite honestly, I only went to see this movie opening night so I could add another sweet Mondo pint glass to my collection. Other than that, I really had no expectations; I was mostly just hoping it would be better than FANT4STIC (after all, their release dates are nearly a year apart). To me, the only possible saving grace could’ve been that it’s written and directed by David Ayer, who has made at least one top-notch movie in Fury, and is also the sole credited writer of Training Day, so there’s definitely greatness within him.

To my surprise, the result of Suicide Squad is a bit muddled, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t entertained.

Let me plow through some things before I really get going. First of all, anyone who says this movie is as bad or worse than FANT4STIC is just trying to get their name out there. Second, The Joker isn’t in the movie all that much, so even if you hate Jared Leto’s performance (I’m still working through how I feel about it), you won’t have to suffer through it for too long. Third, Batman is in the movie even less than the Joker, which is fine, it’s not his movie by any stretch, but for those hoping for another taste of Batfleck, this is like a tiny sample spoon at your local ice cream parlor.

So, what is Suicide Squad? Well, if The Dirty Dozen and X-Men: Apocalypse had a DC baby (with some cross-pollination from Escape From New York, which I really appreciated), this would be it: a group of the world’s baddest villains get voluntold to combat a threat mere mortals cannot handle.

I may as well start with the negative, because I do have a bunch of problems with this movie. For one thing, the use of licensed music gets tiresome real fast; so much of the first half is just plastered with songs that are, as they say, a bit on the nose. And most of these songs are used in the first act when we get introduced to the main characters over and over and over again (it’s quite vexing).

Also, the establishment of the main threat and the mobilization of the Squad to deal with it feels rather brushed over. Not to say that it’s not there at all, but it might have been nice to let it breathe a bit longer. There’s also at least one flashback sequence that feels rather shoehorned.

In terms of performances, it’s a little bit of a mixed bag. I didn’t think Viola Davis or Margot Robbie were terrible by any stretch, or even wrongly cast for their parts, but there was just something slightly off with each of them. Davis does a lot of pseudo-mumbling, and Robbie’s accent is a bit too “New Yawk” for my taste.

On the other hand, I think Will Smith really shines in this movie (his natural presence really helps the tone), and Jai Courtney stands out as well. In spite of the rocky first half, one of the major aspects of the movie that wins me over in the end is the chemistry between the characters.

In addition, despite its hasty introduction, from a production design standpoint (and I guess costume design as well), the threat is pretty cool. I especially like how things look in the aftermath of its activity (Cronenberg-esque would be a fair description).

Most importantly though, Suicide Squad is a decent blend of action and humor. Not the best, but also not nearly as bad as the critical consensus would have you believe. As someone who was prepared for the worst, I was pleasantly surprised.

Much like Batman v Superman, it takes a little while to get where it’s going, but once it gets there it’s pretty good.

Oh, and in case you were wondering (I know you were), there’s a stinger in the middle of the credits, but not at the very end.

Rating: ★★★½

P.S.
Shout out to Alamo Drafthouse as usual for the opening night accouterments. The drink specials were muy delicioso.

Quick Thoughts – Christmas Classics

They just don’t make ’em like they used to.

Gremlins (1984)

June 8th, 1984 saw the release of one of the greatest movies ever; a comedy-horror classic that’s had an indelible impact on pop culture. Naturally, I’m taking about Ghost Busters, but Gremlins was released on the same day, and is a very strong effort in its own right, not to mention it has one of the best title sequences ever thanks to Darlene Love.

Written by Chris Columbus (who we’ll come back to shortly) and directed by Joe Dante (who I’ve praised before), Gremlins is another one of those 80s movies that you couldn’t do today. Sure, everybody loves a cuddly little hero, but can you imagine the audience reaction to the 3 Rules (“Uh, they don’t make any sense; nitpick, nitpick, nitpick!”)? Or imagine how much action schlock they’d pack in since the Mogwai/Gremlins would be CGI (and probably look terrible)? Or how awful the comedy would be?

Gremlins works because the comedic elements and serious elements are in good balance, because it uses animatronic creatures which allows the actors to give more natural performances, and because we know who’s good, who’s bad, and what their motivations are.

Also, Jonathan Banks (aka “Mike” from Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul) is the Sheriff’s Deputy.

Rating: ★★★★½

Home Alone (1990)

It’s amazing how much your experience of a movie can change over time.

I’ve always enjoyed Home Alone. I remember myself and a couple other guys would play Home Alone during preschool fun time or whatever (don’t ask me how it worked, my memory isn’t that good). When you’re a child and you watch Home Alone, you totally want to enjoy the run of the house like Kevin McCallister, not to mention take down some burglars with some sweet booby traps.

Now that I’m older, I appreciate the sentimental moments a lot more. I mean, what kid can really appreciate the Old Man Marley subplot? But, as a mature adult, it gets me all emotional.

Written by John Hughes (who wrote way more movies than he directed) and directed by Chris Columbus (remember him?), Home Alone is simply a wonderful family comedy that also uses violent slapstick to full effect, and is best enjoyed while eating some plain cheese pizza.

If you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for, ya filthy animal!?

Rating: ★★★★½

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

I hear a lot of people dismiss this movie as saccharine schmaltz.

That was my impression as well, until I actually went to see it.

There’s no doubt that It’s a Wonderful Life is an emotional film designed to tug at your heartstrings, but what makes it so successful in that regard is that it’s not afraid to get real, and to go places most movies wouldn’t go. I mean, how many “family movies” made today would ever show a main character preparing to kill himself? My guess is not too many.

Sure, I can understand someone seeing the end of It’s a Wonderful Life out of context and thinking it’s way over the top, but when you’ve been there for two hours and experienced the depth of the story, and the sacrifice involved in George Bailey’s life, my friends, that is an ending well earned.

So, please, do yourself a favor and give this movie another chance next Christmastime.

Rating: ★★★★½